


Nowhere

by neverwinter (KingPreussen)



Series: it takes a village [14]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blood and Gore, Character Death In Dream, Families of Choice, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 10:05:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12274185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingPreussen/pseuds/neverwinter
Summary: "Next lesson," he said, taking Angus' smaller hand in his. Angus tried to pull away but Taako was too strong, aiming Angus' wand at what remained of the last human standing in front of them.Taako shifted, pointing Angus' wand more directly, and hissed, "Crown of Madness," through his teeth.---One night, and the next day.





	Nowhere

**Author's Note:**

> named for a song, but the reference is so obscure im not going to link it
> 
> i wouldnt say this story is meandering or doesnt have a purpose but its definitely a snapshot rather than anything with a solid plot. but i like what i did with it sort of
> 
> i hope you like it too
> 
> edit: came through and made some changes. nothing major but theres some more fleshing out and details, if you want to have another read

The air was thick with the overpowering smell of blood. There was just so much of it, pooling hot and fresh on the ground and forming a viscous mud that clung to everything it touched, especially Angus' shoes. Every movement he made caused it to creep higher, splashing up to his legs, disgustingly warm and wet. The bodies it was seeping out of were decaying much more rapidly than normal, thin skin bloating and cracking, spilling rotten organs and black bile. 

Angus stumbled backward through the dirt and mud, away from the unbearable heat, the unbearable _smell_ , until he hit something solid. He glanced up in surprise only to see his mentor, standing behind him in some kind of long black cloak that was cold to the touch. Taako tipped up the brim of his Wizard's hat and the bright, unrelenting sun glinted off of his dark eyes; usually that would make them look almost golden, but Angus' breath caught in his throat at how flat black they were. Taako smiled down at him, but the smile wasn't gentle, or teasing. It looked sort of like the Elf had too many teeth. 

"Next lesson," he said, taking Angus' smaller hand in his. Angus knew something was wrong and tried to pull away but Taako was a lot stronger than him. It took very little effort for him to aim Angus' wand at what remained of the last human standing in front of them. He was missing an arm and a large chunk of his lower jaw which left his tongue hanging grotesquely into empty air. Angus could barely see through his tears but the human looked sort of like Magnus. 

Taako shifted, pointing Angus' wand more directly, and hissed, "Crown of Madness," through his teeth. Whatever magic flowed through their joined hands didn't feel like Taako's at all; it was viscous instead of silken, like a dark sludge that tugged at Angus' soul. The human _screamed_ as his skull split open, jagged iron spikes piercing through in all directions, bone audibly cracking. Blood was running down his forehead and into his eyes now, but apparently he still had enough sight to start forward toward Angus, raising a cracked battle axe with his remaining arm. 

Angus gasped and wrenched his arm as hard as he could to get out of Taako's grasp but the Wizard still wouldn't let up, his fingers gripping painfully tight right up until the axe came down straight at Angus' head. 

Angus woke himself up with his screaming. He continued to struggle against whatever was holding him back—whether it was still Taako or not, he couldn't tell—unable to breathe or even fully understand where he was, only that everything had gone black. He managed to free himself but then he was falling, his impact with the floor knocking all of the air out of him. All that mattered right then was that he wasn't being constricted anymore. 

There was a loud bang somewhere across from him and then hands touching his face which just made him scream again. "Let me go!" he rasped at whoever it was, unable to move anymore through the pain in his head. He was positive he'd been hit with the axe from how it felt like his skull was splitting—it was only made worse by the fact that he couldn't smell anymore blood. 

"Angus, fucking... cool it!" a familiar voice replied, still attempting to hold him down. " _Angus_ ," it repeated with more force. Angus could almost feel the magic in the words washing in an icy wave over him and it made his head throb again. " _Calm down. Breathe._ " 

Even if he did have the presence of mind to Wisdom save, Angus knew he wouldn't have a high enough skill. Instead he let the magic wipe away his racing thoughts and make his rapidly pacing heart slow to a normal beat. He was still in pain and confused but he let whoever's hands touch his head and disentangle him from his captor. 

"Please don't hurt me," he choked out, knowing he didn't sound as insisting as he wanted to but unable to put any more power behind his words. 

There was a moment of silence. "I wouldn't if I could, bubeleh," the voice answered. 

A small sphere of light flickered on above him, revealing Taako's worried face, framed by a halo of loose curls. Some part in the back of Angus' mind registered fear at the sight but the rest of him could only feel relieved. "Daddy," he sobbed, reaching up with shaking arms to pull Taako closer. 

Taako immediately hugged him back and buried his face into Angus' hair, the little sphere bobbing lower to follow him. "You were screaming," Taako said, his words muffled and _scared_. 

"I'm sorry—" Angus tried to apologize through tears, but Taako was already shaking his head and maneuvering Angus into his lap. 

"Don't, pumpkin, it's not your fault. I just got really fuckin' worried." He pulled away a little and touched Angus' forehead with the tips of his fingers. "It's bruising, right here... did you hit your head?" Angus breathed as well as he could through his mouth, nose clogged because of his crying, and nodded once. "I'll get something to heal you up in a minute. Let's get off the floor first, okay?" 

Angus would do whatever Taako asked even when he wasn't panicked and disoriented. "Yes, okay," he agreed, but instead of helping him stand on his own, Taako lifted him up in his arms and pulled the remainder of what turned out to be tangled blankets away from his legs. 

"It's not quite morning but you don't have to go back to sleep," Taako reassured him, waving his hand to dismiss the sphere and closing Angus' bedroom door behind them. "Let's make some beignets for breakfast, what do you think? And since it's so early we won't have to share them with your shitty bottomless pit of an uncle." 

Angus' heart skipped a beat. Something in the dream had to do with Magnus but the whole event was rapidly slipping from his memory. All he could remember was the dirt and blood. When he shuddered and hid his face against Taako's neck, the Elf held him that much tighter, keeping up his monologue and chasing the last of Angus' fear away.

* * *

"Is peanut getting sick?" Angus could hear Lup speaking very faintly, drowned out by Taako's steady breath and slow heartbeat beneath one side of his head. When Taako replied Angus could only feel the vibrations of his words without making any of them out. A cool hand pressed against his forehead and he sighed, relaxing beneath it. 

"Game starts in the afternoon. Think you wanna stay home for now?" That was Magnus from much closer. Angus figured they were on the couch in the front room but couldn't remember anything between going to sleep the night before and right now. Taako replied again, shifting slightly, and Angus took that opportunity to put his hands on Taako's shoulders and push away. 

Taako looked wide awake, made up with sparkling gold eyeshadow and hair in a neat braid down his shoulder. "What time is it?" was all Angus could ask, and he flushed deep red at the sound of his rasping voice. 

"Only ten, pumpkin," Taako murmured. His expression was odd, almost expectant, but Angus didn't know what he was expecting. "Finally awake?" 

Angus nodded at him. When he asked, "What happened?" in the same rough voice, Taako leveled a frown at him. 

"Don't remember? You had a nightmare. Pretty bad one, too. Got a little knock on your head." Taako brushed his fingers over Angus' temple but it didn't trigger any memories. He shook his head and Taako sighed. "Well, anyway, the plan is a football game. Two tickets magically ended up in my bag and then these... _people_ showed up," he sneered, gesturing behind Angus at who he assumed was most of their immediate family. "All these fucking jocks we hang with, I swear to Istus." Angus couldn't help but grin a bit, biting his lower lip to prevent it, but Taako just winked at him and pulled him close again. 

"We should have an early lunch then," Angus heard Julia say, some murmurs of agreement, and then shifting fabric and footsteps as everyone in the room got up, talking among themselves. 

The height of summer had passed rapidly into a chilly fall. With the same speed, Angus got used to Taako wrapping him up against the cold before they left the house. The usual combo was one of a collection of beanies that Julia knitted him fitted over his curls and a scarf wrapped around his neck, and any of the small, stylish jackets that Taako loved buying for him. This time two years ago Taako had just adopted him and Angus was uncomfortable having his hand held for more than a few seconds. No way would Taako be able to touch him like this without him freaking out. 

Angus couldn't help the shiver that ran through him as he remembered his time on the streets of Rockport before he had a stable home. Taako paused, kneeling in front of him with one of said stylish jackets in his hands ready to be helped on. "You alright, pumpkin?" he asked softly. Thankfully he didn't attract anyone else's attention, voice too low to carry from the entryway to the small congregation waiting in the living room of their apartment, because the rest of their family would definitely descend on the two of them to make him feel better. 

"Fine, sir," Angus replied in an absent way. Taako's mildly concerned expression turned to outright worry and he set the jacket down in his lap, instead using both hands to touch Angus' face and sweep his thumbs gently over his cheeks. 

"We don't have to go if you don't want to, baby. I know you've been feeling kinda shitty since last night." 

Angus could say no. He could ask Taako to stay at home with him and eat grilled cheese and tomato soup all day, and Taako would do whatever he wanted. From the stories he overheard about Taako's reputation before he was adopted, Angus' ability to make " _The Taako_ " obey him was unprecedented; all that attention made Angus nervous. 

He shook his head. "No, s--Taako." He caught himself that time and forced a smile. "We can go wherever. Sorry, I'm just tired." 

Taako frowned at him but didn't push any further. "It's a bit of a walk," he said, helping Angus put his arms through his sleeves. "Let me know if you want me to carry you and I'll get Magnus." That did genuinely make Angus laugh and Taako didn't look quite so stressed anymore. "You know how this family is with gatherings. We always gotta _do_ something instead of just fucking _chill_ -ing. But you and me know how to make the most out of a night in, right bubeleh?" 

Most of that was lost on Angus but he nodded anyway. "Right, Taako." The Elf studied him, and then leaned forward and kissed his forehead, mouth warm and dry. 

"No fever yet," Taako said quietly when he pulled away. Angus had closed his eyes by then, comforted. 

While neither Taako nor Lup completely lost sight of him, Angus spent most of the walk with Julia, holding her hand so he didn't fall behind. Magnus, Merle, and Taako had cliqued up and were roaming the south side of Neverwinter at the head of the pack. When Angus was first inducted into the patchwork group, he wasn't sure why Taako complained about going out since he always seemed to be having fun. That changed the first time he had to take an "emotional recovery day" afterward; Angus spent the day in bed with him, playing games and eating rich food until Taako was back to his strident self. 

Julia squeezed his hand a bit and he looked up. "Sorry, ma'am?" he mumbled just in case she had been trying to get his attention for a while. 

She was still facing forward—never a good idea to stand still on a sidewalk in Neverwinter—but she glanced down at him for a moment. "You stumbled a few times. Tired?" Angus' first instinct was to assure her that he was fine. His mine stuttered and dragged to come up with something to say, though, and all he did was cough into his scarf and shake his head. "Want me to carry you for a little?" 

He nodded without thinking. Julia was quick to adjust her purse on her opposite shoulder and scoop him up onto her hip. She wasn't a slight woman, shorter than her husband but also strong and soft, and it was easy for her to hold Angus with a hand under his bottom and the other at his back on her hip. Angus hid his cold nose in the folds of her hijab and she gently rubbed her thumb over his leg. 

Taako must have seen Julia pick him up, because suddenly he was beside them, on the other side of Julia so Angus could see him. "Still feeling alright?" he asked, sounding nervous and uncomfortable. 

Angus wished he could remember what happened that night. It seemed to have made Taako really tense. "I think I _am_ getting sick," he explained as calmly as he could. "But I feel fine, Taako. Don't worry." 

"That's my line," Taako replied automatically. "But if you're sure. We're almost there, anyway." After giving Angus a visual once-over, Taako asked Julia, "How's the wool spinning coming along?" and Angus tuned the rest of their conversation out. Hopefully the out-of-sorts feeling would pass by the time they got to the game.

**Author's Note:**

> (taako casts _suggestion_ , if you couldnt tell)


End file.
